Knee holder for golfers

ABSTRACT

A golf practice device for holding the golfer&#39;s knees in proper relationship throughout his swing of the golf club. The device includes two rigid, rectangular Knee-engaging members connected together by a flexible cord. One of such plates is located on the inside of each of the golfer&#39;s legs at the knee area. Three Knee-encircling straps are attached to each plate to secure same to the golfer&#39;s leg.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Professionals in the game of golf have emphasized the importance of aproper rhythm, grip, and stance during the stroke, and of greatimportance, the position of the knees from the time the golfer addressesthe ball until he completes the "follow through" after striking theball. This coordination can best be acquired by keeping the knees lockedin position (pulled toward each other) at the address, so that the arms,hands, body and knees, during the entire stroke, will work together togive increased power and accuracy to the stroke. I have devised thepresent device which may be attached to the knees of the player to aid aperson in keeping his knees locked in position as he addresses the ball,just prior to the backswing. Using the device while practicing or whenplaying the game, a person will develop the habit of keeping his kneeslocked at address of the ball, which will aid him in grooving hisstroke, improving his game, and imparting additional power to the ballduring the correct position of the knees throughout the golf swing.

REFERENCE TO PRIOR ART

Various types of stance correction devices have been suggested. Forexample: U.S. Pat. No. 423,094 and U.S. Pat. No. 1,677,128 show golfstance correcting devices. However, none of these patents proposesupporting the knees of the golfer in fixed space relation to eachother.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of my invention to provide a device which is adjustableto fit and attach just below the knees of the person which may easily beapplied, thereby keeping the knees in proper position without hinderingof the proper knee action during the swing.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a golf training devicemeans for readily attaching and detaching the device at the knees.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consistsof the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understoodthat changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minordetails of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificingany of the advantages of the invention.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of the golf practice device according to theinvention shown supported on the knees of a person.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the golf practice device showing the knees ofthe person in phantom with the golfer in a sitting position.

FIG. 3 is a view of one of the leg holders of the device.

FIG. 4 is a view of the other leg holder of the golf practice device.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 shows the movement of the golfers knees throughout his swing ofthe club.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Now, with more particular reference to the drawings, a golf practicedevice 10 is shown made up of a first knee encircling device 11 and asecond knee encircling device 12, connected together by a flexiblemember 13.

Each knee encircling device is made up of a relatively rigid plate 14sandwiched between the sheets 15 and 16. The sheets 15 and 16 may bemade of leather, sheet plastic material, webbing or any other suitablematerial. The sheets will be stitched, soncially welded, or attachedtogether by any other suitable fastening means. Foam plastic may beattached to the leg side to add comfort. The sheets will be stitchedtogether along the lines 17 and 18 and stitched along the lines shown tostraps 19, 20, and 120. Straps 19, 20, and 120 will be of sufficientlength to extend around the legs of an adult individual and each strap19, 20, and 120 has a buckle 21, 22, and 122, secured to the end of thestrap in a conventional manner and having holes 23, 24, and 124 in theopposite end for receiving the tongues of the buckles.

The knee encircling device 12 has an eyelet 25 extending through it withthe eye of the eyelet engaging the washer 26. The eye extends throughthe rigid plate 14 and through the sheets 15 and 16 and through thewasher 27 which may be received in recess 28 holding the two washerstogether and holding the eyelet 25 to the knee encircling member.Washers 26 and 27 distribute the force exerted by the eyelet on theleather and prevent the eyelet from deforming the leather. The kneeencircling device 11 has similar structural details as indicated.

The flexible member 13 has an intermediate cord portion 29 connected tothe end members 30 and the snap 31. This snap 31 is received in theeyelet 25 and the end member 30 is received in eyelet 25 on theencircling member 11. The flexible member 13 may be slightly resilientin order to insure better comfort of the golfer.

The golfer may disconnect the snap 31 from the eyelet 25 so that hislegs are free for walking. He may fix the leg insertion members 10 and11 to his legs while either in a standing postion or in a sittingposition. Foam 28 may be cemented in place in the side.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred,practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modificationwithin a range of equivalents without departing from the invention whichis to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with theappended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A golf practice devicecomprising,two knee-engaging members, each said knee-engaging memberscomprising two sheets of flexible material, a generally rectangular,relatively flat rigid plate sandwiched between each two said sheets andhaving a substantial length and width to make said knee engaging membersgenerally rigid, means securing said sheets together around the outsideedges of said generally rectangular member, an eyelet fixed to each saidplate and extending through one said sheet member, three spaced legencircling straps attached to a sheet member adjacent each said plate, abuckle on an end of each said strap, one said strap on each said sheetbeing attached to said sheet adjacent each end thereof and the othersaid strap being attached to said sheet between the said eyelet thereonand to another said strap, one said strap being adapted to encircle thesaid leg of the said golfer below his said knee joint and the two otherstraps being adapted to encircle the leg above the said knee jointwhereby said eyelet is supported at said knee joint and a flexiblemember attached to each said eyelet for limiting the movement of saidrelatively rigid plate members and the knees of said golfer away fromeach other during the swing of his golf club.